St Clair High School students return two weeks after fire guts classrooms

Jessica KiddUpdated
Wed 16 Jul 2014, 12:41 PM AEST

Photo

St Clair High School principal Chris Presland (right) and students returned to school this week after last month's devastating fire.

ABC News: Jessica Kidd

A fortnight after fire destroyed dozens of classrooms at a western Sydney high school, students have returned to class.

The future of St Clair High School was plunged into doubt when the main building was gutted by the fire which broke out on the first Sunday of the winter school holidays.

Principal Chris Presland said it was testament to the school community and the state's public education system that classes had resumed as normal this week.

"It's been an extraordinary process," he said.

"Big boofy electricians and plumbers who have no connection with the school have all got on the bandwagon and [they] have all said to me 'we're not here for the money, we're just making sure this place is ready for the kids'."

About two dozen classrooms, two computer laboratories and the library were destroyed in the blaze.

The flames also destroyed 27 years of archives, school photos and memorabilia, Mr Presland said.

"Our community is already banding together to collect old photographs," he said.

"Anyone that's got old photos of the school or their old copies of the yearbooks, we're marshalling all of those resources to try and rebuild what we can."

About 12 classrooms survived the blaze but it is expected to take at least four weeks to repair heat and smoke damage so they can be used again.

Until then, students are being taught in makeshift classrooms in the school hall, the science laboratories and the kitchens.